It was just as she had remembered

It was just as she had remembered. River had taken a few steps into the room before she stopped, closing her eyes and fighting back the memories that threatened to consume her. She took a long, shuddering breath in and opened her eyes. Her heart was pounding and she began to feel sick. The room was dark, the hateful screen still producing glaring light as it played a fruity oaty bar advertisement. River swallowed and tried to focus.

The children's muttering was threatening to take her in. River whimpered and covered her ears, crouching. She could still hear it.

"Ta ma de! Nimen de bizui!" she yelled. They did not stop. It filled her head, blocking her sense of reason. She felt as though she was drowning in it. Before she realised it, River was muttering herself. She felt a hand on her shoulder and tried to draw away.

"River…" Simon was calling her. He pulled her hands away from her face and held them tightly in his.

"Baby, you have to focus," he said quietly. River was shaking; she tried to look at him but it was as if her eyes refused to move. She shut them tight and tried to curl into a ball, but Simon's grip was preventing her.

"No, no, River… baby don't fall into that, please," He whispered desperately. River moaned and tried to pull away.

"Mei-mei!" Simon implored her, and for the first time his words managed to penetrate the noise in Rivers head. She looked up.

"That's it... that's good, just focus," Simon helped her as her eyes locked on to his. He pulled her up and she clung to his arm. Simon stroked her hair.

"Do you remember why we're here?" Simon asked. River stared at him.

"You have to find Madeline," Simon told her River nodded and stared around. She pulled away from Simon and ran into the side room. It was empty save for an unmade Bed. River began to pull off the sheets, lifted the mattress off the frame.

"Mei-mei!" She called. Finally deciding that Madeline wasn't there she rushed back into the communal area. She was beginning to panic when she spotted an abnormal shadow in the corner. She edged close to it, then ran as she realised it who it was.

It was not the Madeline she remembered. Her light brown hair was matted, and she stared with glazed eyes. Her fragile frame was hunched on the ground. Madeline was alarmingly pale and thin. River knelt before her, enthralled. She reached out and pushed some hair out of Madeline's face. Madeline did not react.

"mei-mei," River whispered to her. Madeline's eyes moved onto her. River leaned forward and lifted her into her arms. She was incredibly light. River sat with Madeline in her arms, whispering to her. Madeline's only response was to moan slightly. Simon knelt down behind River, taking his first look at the girl his sister had cared for so much. He held out his arms, and River looked over her shoulder, and allowed Simon to lift her out of her arms. Simon stood up; River rose and took Madeline's slender hand. She was surprised when the tight fist opened at her touch, releasing a broken piece of wood with fragmented strings attached. River stared at it, feeling tears stinging her eyes as she realised what it was.

"What did they do to you?" she whispered.

"River, we have to go," Simon whispered gently. River sniffed and nodded. They turned to leave; and found their way blocked by the other children.

"Gos se," Simon swore.

The doctor gulped as the men faced him.

"I'm not sure how they got in… I called you straight away…" he said. The men merely stared at him.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said hopefully. One man sighed.

"Keep your people out of the way; we'll deal with this," he said. The doctor nodded numbly. The men left.

The doctor sighed with relief. He leaned heavily on his crutches as he hobbled off, all to glad to stay out of their way.

"River," Simon whispered to her, "what are they doing?" River shook her head, glancing worriedly at Madeline. One of the children stepped forward.

"River," he muttered. Simon glanced at her. Wide eyes stared our behind the boy, looking hopeful and terrified at the same time. They whispered to each other. The boy stared at River.

"Take us," the boy said quietly, "please…"

River looked up at Simon, who was staring at the children with utmost pity in his eyes. He turned to River, answering her unspoken question.

"We can't," he whispered, "we can only take…" his words failed. River looked back at the children before nodding. Simon did not make her relay his statement.

"I'm sorry," he said loudly to the children. Eyes immediately went back to the floor, a few pained noises rose from the back of the group. The lead boy hung his head, the pinprick scar shone on his forehead. Simon reached for River's hand around Madeline's limp form and guided her through the children. Mal was standing outside the door.

"Tyen-shiao duh, what took you so long?" he hissed. Simon looked down at River.

"We ran into a pro… a few problems," Simon said. Mal had caught sight of Madeline.

"Aiya, is she alright?" Mal asked. Simon shrugged. Mal looked disturbed but nodded.

"Right, let's go." Mal drew his gun but River screamed.

"River!" Simon yelled at her.

"Bizui!" Mal said, but River ignored him. She pulled at her hair and bent over as though she had been kicked in the stomach.

"Hands of blue! Two by two! The ringing… won't… stop!" She gasped, before rolling on the floor and crying hysterically. Mal found the young girl thrust into his arms as Simon bent down to help River. He looked at her thin face before turning away and trying not to let sympathy overwhelm him. Simon managed to pull River up; she was still breathing as though she had been winded and shaking slightly.

"Two by two… mad…dy?" She said.

"She's fine," Mal said, "now let's go!" He turned, and fell backward as a blue fist collided with his. River screamed as Madeline fell with him. She and Simon bent down; Simon helping Mal to his feet as River carefully lifted Madeline and began rocking with her, just as she used to.

"Chou ma niao," Mal exclaimed, feeling his nose. He and Simon stared at the men before him. Their hands were a brilliant blue; they each grasped a briefcase in one hand. They stared in satisfaction at the four people before him.

"Hello, River," one said.